Manner of constructing corn-shellers



STA

A YICHOLAS GOLDSBOROUGH, OF EASTON, MARYLAD.Y

MANNER OF CONSTRUCTING CORN-SHELLERS;

Specification of Letters Patent No. 1,975, dated February 12, 1841.-

To all w/wmt may concern:

Be it known that I, NicHoLAs GOLDS- BoRoUGH, of Easton, count-y ofTalbot, and State of Maryland, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Machines for Husking and Shelling Corn at One Operation,and that the following is a full and exact description of theconstruction and operation of the said machine as invented and improvedby me, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, makingpart of this specification.

Figure 1-perspective view. section.

The machine consists of a frame A; cylinder or beater B; concave andfeeding apron or hopper D.

First, the frame is constructed of substantial timbers, sulilcientlylarge to receive the other machinery hereinafter described; it iscomposed of four upright posts; to wit two front and two back posts,joined together by side rails and cross ties, the upper rails beingtenoned into the posts near their upper ends and forming the bearings ofthe cylinder shaft; the front posts are made somewhat larger than theback posts; and at the distance of fourteen inches from their feet areunited by a cross girth, which by means of a small block or bolster Elet into the middle of the upper side, forms the bearing of a horizontalspring F, as also by a cap piece or tenons at the upper ends of theposts. The back posts are united at their upper ends by a cap piece asbefore described, and are confined near their lower ends by a strongcross tie A2 tenoned into the lower side rails near their junction withthe back posts. The cross tie aforesaid also affords tli-e support oi'bearing of two vertical springs G Gr, which, together with thehorizontal spring, hereinbefore named, sustain and suspend the concaveH. The springs are made of yellow pine or white ash. Those marked G aremortised and tenoned into the cross tie A2 at their lower ends, theirupper ends being let loosely into notches in the back part of the endsof the concave, which arrangement of springs allows the rollers J torecede from the cylinder by the admission of large ears, hardsubstances, or from some other cause, the elasticity of the pieces ofwood forming the springs G extending from their upper or loose ends downto their other ends which are fixed into the cross tie as beforedescribed, tlie yielding being in a horizontal direction as indicated bythe arrow.

Second. The cylinder B is made of solid wood, banded at the ends havingiron or steel gudgeons, which run in suitable boxes secured on the topof the upper side rails; the teeth are made of bar or rod iron inchsquare cut into lengths of two' and a yhalf inches, two inches of whichare driven perpendicularly into the cylinder, after being bored for thatpurpose, so as to stand in parallel rows lengthwise the cylinder, theteeth of each row standing opposite to the spaces in the adjoining rows.There are nineteen rows of teeth equidistant. The dimensions of thecylinder may be varied, but those which I find to answer well are,fourteen inches diameter by twenty two inches long, and driven with avelocity making 450 to 500 revolutions in a minute.

Third. The concave which occupies about one third of the circumferenceof the cylinder, and immediately under it, is formed of two jambs orside pieces H parallel to each other, their upper edges cut intoinverted arches, having their centers in the axis of the cylinder, andare held together by two cross ties dovetailed into their lower edges,into these jambs, holes are bored, and fifteen twisted bars I of ironinserted, ten of which are arranged in a circle concentric with thecylinder and one inch distant from the points of the teeth, and theremaining tive J in a tangent to that circle. All the bars ai'e placedparallel and apart an inch and a half from center to center. They aremade of bars heated and twisted spirally having their ends turned in alathe for about of an inch so as to form a small shoulder, and wheninserted as before named each bar revolves freely. Y

Fourth. The cap or hood K K is formed of two light side plank placedvertically n upon and lengthwise the upper side rails on their upperedges, and next the cap piece of the forward posts is nailed a boardcovering the cylinder, ,said board being flush with said cap piece,between the aforesaid side planks are placed two boards at an angle soas to form a hopper D, the ends of the. boards are in rabbets, and theplane of the hinder board is in continuation of the plane of therlargest bars aforenamed. I have omitted yto mention the bonnet whichmay be suspended to the front post-s of the frame, and the use of whichis to prevent ioo the grain being thrown to a distance, when dischargedfrom the machine as its construction and use are so well known. Themachine thus arranged, is a corn machine, either, for shelling` what hasbeen previously husked, or husking and shelling at one operation. But itmay be employed for threshing wheat, and when wanted for that operation,the cylinder should be made with the` teeth an inch out, and the concaveset up to one fourth of aninch of thepoints of the teeth, having aneXtra pair of jambs for that purpose and a wheel of six inches diameter,to give the usual velocity of wheat machines.

Operation: The machine being set in revolution byhorse or other powerapplied to the band pulley, the ears of corn are thrown into the hopperand are immediately acted upon by the joint operation of the teeth ofthe cylinder and twisted bars of the concave, these latter by revolving,greatly facilitate the passage of the corn through the machine, and actso thoroughly on every part of the ear, as to remove all the grains fromthe small ends of the cobs. The machine performs all its operations withgreat rapidity, it will require at least two active men to throw in thecorn, or corn that has been hushed, may be poured in with a .f

WM. B. SMYTH, THOMAS CowARD.

